Out of Body
by more-than-words
Summary: “I woke up in this body so alive, wanting to touch and feel and smell and taste… It’s only natural that I’d want to taste you, too. Especially when the metaphorical carrot has already been dangled in front of my nose and then snatched away.” 10Rose.


**Disclaimer:** It's owned by the BBC, despite my best efforts to launch a takeover bid.

**Spoilers: **New Earth, mini one for The Christmas Invasion.

**Summary: **"I woke up in this body _so alive_, wanting to touch and feel and smell and taste… It's only natural that I'd want to taste you, too. Especially when the metaphorical carrot has already been dangled in front of my nose and then snatched away." 10Rose, post-New Earth. Rose feels the effects of Cassandra taking over her body, and the Doctor wants to discover something new.

**A/N:** This story is by no means my best piece of work, and nor will it ever be used as a shining example of prose in the English language. (If it was I think I'd be worried about standards!) But it is fluffy, and thus has its place in the world, because we all need fluff occasionally! It's also nice and happy, to contradict the dark scary angst of series 3. Maybe I'll turn it into a little series of stories… oooh… Enjoy! Jen x

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Well, that had been… interesting, to say the least. Her first proper adventure with her Doctor in his new body and she'd been out of control of her own body for most of it.

Rose stood now leaning against the console as the Doctor shut the doors to the TARDIS, leaving Cassandra/Chip behind to have what would probably be one of the most narcissistic and self-indulgent deaths in the whole of time and space.

"Right, then!" he exclaimed, coming over to work at the controls, his now familiar manic grin plastered over his face.

She was aware of the TARDIS dematerialising, feeling the usual shudders and jerks as they disappeared into the Vortex, their ride only slightly more kamikaze than it used to be with her old Doctor. She gripped the edge of the console hard; suddenly feeling woozy as the TARDIS gave a bigger lurch than normal and made her head pound. She shut her eyes and bit down on her lip when the dizzy feeling refused to budge. She wondered if she should mention to the Doctor that she'd been feeling a bit funny ever since Cassandra had left her body earlier.

"Where do you fancy going next?" the Doctor asked her as he came to stand in front of her. "We could go out for dinner."

"Um," she replied, bringing one hand up to clutch at her head as she opened her eyes again. She was starting to feel pretty groggy, and it wasn't because of the Doctor's bad piloting. For once.

She swayed unconsciously and the Doctor's hands were immediately at her shoulders, steadying her. "Rose?" he asked, his voice suddenly concerned. "What's the matter?"

She shook her head, only to find that it made the whole dizzy-groggy-queasy feeling worse than before. She reached out to clutch at the Doctor's jacket, using him to keep herself upright. "My head," she said. Her forehead went to his chest as her brain- _brain?_- began to throb. "It hurts."

"Where?" he asked, and she decided with her last shred of coherence that was a pretty stupid question. It was obvious, wasn't it? She'd just told him that her head hurt.

Her vision began to dim around the edges and she heard herself gasp even though she wasn't aware she'd done it. Her breath hitched in her throat. "Think I'm gonna faint," she mumbled, right before she did.

-8-8-8-

Rose slumped forwards onto his chest, her body crumpling in on itself as she lost consciousness. The Doctor's arms were around her straight away, hoisting her up to slide one arm around her back and the other beneath her knees so he could hold her body against his torso. He'd thought something like this might happen after Cassandra had spent so long messing around in Rose's mind. That level of intrusion was bound to have some after-effects.

He strode through the TARDIS to her bedroom, knowing she'd feel better once she'd had a good sleep.

He kicked open the door to her room with one foot, then strode purposefully over to her bed. He smiled as he thought of how he'd spent ages fantasising about swooping her up in his arms before carrying her to her bed and laying her down so he could spend a good couple of hours getting to know Rose Tyler in all the ways he didn't yet know her. He just hadn't planned on her being unconscious when he finally got to do something resembling that little quirk of his mind.

He lay her down on top of her covers and then picked up the stray magazines and books from her bed and piled them neatly on her dresser. She'd never get a decent sleep if there was clutter everywhere.

And also… She'd never get a proper sleep if she stayed in that outfit, as nice and appealing as it was… Especially that shirt. He loved that shirt. Showed off her curves nicely, made her look all tempting and… female. He approved, especially with the fresh perspective his new body gave him. Yes, he decided, Rose was definitely very lovely looking. But that wasn't a thought for the present moment.

Not wanting to disturb her slumber, he walked back over to the bed quietly to pull off her shoes and socks. Then he gently lifted her head to remove the hairclip that currently held her blonde hair captive. The silky strands fell down around his hands as he set the clip aside. Forgetting his mission, he took a moment to smooth it out against the pillow in a golden halo, his fingertips lingering on the crown of her head as he willed his touch to soothe the pain he knew she must be feeling as a result of having her mind compressed for so long. His eyes darkened at the thought of the damage Cassandra could have caused to Rose's mind had she stayed inside her for much longer. He could only hope that she would be okay.

Her hair now spread across the pillow all soft and shiny, he moved onto the next task. He pulled out her pyjamas from under her duvet and laid them out next to her. He smiled as he noticed the pattern on them. Pink, with yellow and silver embroidered stars. He wondered if she'd got them before or after she started travelling with him.

Forcing his mind firmly into the "distanced Doctor-ish" zone, he carefully removed Rose from her shirt and trousers, hesitating only a second before he took her underwear off as well. She may kill him for it later, but he wanted her to be properly comfortable while she rested. It was the least he could do for her after the turmoil of the last few weeks since his regeneration. Her mind must have been a mess without Cassandra jumping in and making it worse.

He slipped her into her pyjamas, telling himself not to make a big deal of it when his fingers brushed against the soft skin of her legs as he pulled up the trousers and then again as he was buttoning up her pink-with-stars flannel shirt. He failed, however, and his face was most decidedly red and his hands were shaking somewhat as he finished dressing her, his body unable to help its reaction to hers even though he had told his mind to ignore Rose's state of undress.

Pulling her back into his arms, he balanced her precariously against his chest as he drew the covers down with one hand before carefully resting her back down against the mattress. He dragged the duvet back up her body and tucked her in securely. Once she was wrapped up safe and warm in bed, the Doctor placed his fingers over Rose's temples for a few seconds, lightly brushing her mind with his to make sure that she was sleeping peacefully and without any bad dreams. He wanted to make sure there was no unnecessary strain on her mind.

Satisfied that all was well, he was still reluctant to leave her. Despite this incarnation's less outwardly concerned and possessive approach to Rose's health and safety, he couldn't deny that the urge to protect and take care of her was stronger than it had ever been. He had been covering up with joviality and smiles until now, but looking down at her whilst she slept, he began to let his barriers down.

He dragged the armchair by the wall over to the bed and made himself comfortable in it, turning it to an angle so that he could hold one of Rose's hands in his, as much for his own comfort as for hers. His recent regeneration had been hard on their relationship, and he found himself needing to touch her more than ever before, just to prove that she was still with him and still okay with everything that had happened. Things weren't back to how they had been before, and he knew they probably never would be again. But that was okay: the way things were currently looking, it was going to be better than ever. He was loving the new, more physical side to his relationship with Rose, and if her reactions were anything to go on then she didn't mind it either.

A thought flashed into his mind and he made a mental note to bring up the issue of Cassandra-as-Rose kissing him once his companion woke up. That was definitely an issue to discuss- he wanted to know if Rose remembered it or not. And then he wanted to ask her if she would mind doing it again when she wasn't possessed and he wasn't shocked almost to the point of regeneration. His new oral fixation meant that he wanted to taste everything, and that included Rose. He'd gotten a little hint of her flavours during that kiss earlier, but had been too surprised to process it properly. He wanted another shot at it- all in the name of research and discovery, of course.

Feeling the still-lingering after-effects of regeneration and the events of their stressful day begin to take its toll, the Doctor leaned back in the armchair and closed his eyes, Rose's hand still held firmly in his. He gave her flesh a little squeeze and kept his thumb moving lightly over the back of her hand as he allowed himself to relax and fall asleep at her bedside.

-8-8-8-

Rose awoke to find herself snugly and cocooned in warmth and comfort, with a gentle weight pressing against her stomach. She kept her eyes shut, trying to savour the feeling of protection that was currently surrounding her. Almost immediately she noticed that she was feeling one hundred percent better than she had been earlier, and that she was not wearing the same outfit she'd had on when she'd begun to feel ill.

Opening her eyes at last, the first thing she saw was the back of the Doctor's pinstriped suit. Tracing her eyes along the stripes, she realised that it was his head on her stomach that was providing that comforting weight. He held one of her hands in his tightly, and his eyes were closed.

She smiled as she realised he was fast asleep, and pulled her free hand out from under the duvet to stroke his unruly hair back from his face. His lips curled into a soft smile at her action and so she kept it up, running her fingers through his hair, scratching lightly over his scalp and then running down to brush against the back of his neck. She hardly ever got to see him relaxed. She made a mental note to make sure he did it more; it suited him.

She shifted beneath her covers, ascertaining that she was now wearing her pyjamas. Her clothes from earlier were piled on the floor as further proof that the Doctor had taken it upon himself to undress her… Including her underwear, apparently. She decided not to make an issue out of it; they'd both only end up getting flustered and embarrassed if she bought it up, making things uncomfortable for the next few days. That definitely wasn't something they needed right now.

The Doctor stirred in her lap, his eyes opening slowly to look up at her, that silly grin still plastered across his face. "Hey," he whispered, and then he seemed to realise where he was. He started to lift his head, but Rose pushed him back down, keeping her fingers running through his hair.

"No, stay," she said.

He made a noise like a contented cat as she scratched above his ear, her nails tickling his skin. He relaxed for a few moments longer, before sitting up out of her reach and looking at her with a concerned expression. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.

"Fine," she answered. "Better. Thank you for looking after me."

His gaze softened again at that. "You're welcome. Does your head still hurt?"

She considered this for a moment before replying, "It's still a bit fuzzy, but it doesn't hurt anymore. Was that because of Cassandra?"

"Yes." The Doctor's darkened look was back. "She was compressing you to death by being inside your mind like that."

"What about you? She was inside you too."

"Not for as long, and my mental structure is different to yours."

That was a different reply to the one she'd expected. His previous incarnation would have more than likely made some scathing comment about how his brain was superior to hers and thus he didn't get headaches at the slightest intrusion into his mind like she did. This Doctor, in contrast, seemed to be chastising himself, as though it was his fault she wasn't as biologically advanced as he was. She realised he was probably feeling guilty that she got hurt.

"Are you sure you're not feeling dizzy?" Bless him, he really was concerned. "You're not nauseas or feeling faint?"

"I'm fine."

"Sure?"

"Yes." She smiled and squeezed his hand where it was still wrapped around hers. "I just feel a bit tired still."

"Right. Good." He stood suddenly, pulling his hand away to take off his suit jacket before sitting down on her bed just as suddenly and pulling off his shoes. Then he lay down next to her on top of the covers and took up her hand again. "Rose," he continued as though he hadn't just thrown all of their boundaries out of the metaphorical window. He'd never done this before. "What do you remember from earlier?"

"From when Cassandra possessed me you mean?"

"Yes."

She thought about it. And then she thought some more. And then she realised she remembered everything. She felt herself blush at the memory.

-8-8-8-

The Doctor saw the red flush creep across Rose's cheeks, and felt the increase in her heart rate despite the space that separated them. So she did remember what had happened. He felt himself flush at the absurdity of what he was going to ask her. He wondered how he could phrase it. _Hey, Rose, remember when Cassandra used your body to kiss me against your will? Would you do it again?_ He thought not. _Rose, I'm making a catalogue of all the tastes in the universe, and next on my list is the inside of your mouth. So, open wide…_ He shook his head at the futility of it.

"Doctor, are you all right?" And now she was looking at him like he had sprouted a second head. Lovely.

"Yes! Brilliant," he said, nodding emphatically to prove his point. He leaned up on one elbow so he could look down at her. His care and affection for her sprang to the surface as he watched her lying beneath him, trust and expectation shining brightly in her eyes. He had to physically stop himself from kissing her there and then. "Um, Rose, about earlier…"

"Which bit in particular?"

_Oh, hell. _He decided to just come out and say it. Honesty _is_ the best policy, apparently. He only hoped that she wouldn't laugh at him. Or slap him. He didn't know which would be worse. Maybe she'd just think he was still suffering after his regeneration. "The bit where Cassandra kissed me," he said.

The gentle flush staining her cheeks turned bright scarlet and she sat up, pulling her hand out of his and wrapping her arms around her knees. "I'm sorry about that," she muttered, not looking at him. "I couldn't stop her."

He smiled at her. "Don't apologise," he told her. "I don't mind. I'm not upset, or angry, or feeling taken-advantage-of, or any of those other strange human reactions to such things. I know it wasn't you." He coughed, deciding that this was the most embarrassed he had ever been in any of his incarnations. "I only wish that it had been."

Rose froze and just stared at him. "Wh- what?" she eventually stuttered out.

"Well, it's just that I was so surprised that you- she- kissed me that I didn't have a chance to enjoy it, or to kiss back."

"You… wanted to kiss back?" She sounded surprised, and shocked like she hadn't expected that. Like she didn't believe he could want her like that. _Oh, if only she knew,_ he thought.

"Why wouldn't I?" was his answer. "I woke up in this body _so alive_, wanting to touch and feel and smell and taste… It's only natural that I'd want to taste you, too. Especially when the metaphorical carrot has already been dangled in front of my nose and then snatched away."

"Is that the only reason?" He thought that she sounded unsure, hesitant, like she was scared of the answer.

If truth be told, he was scared of the answer himself. It terrified him that he was thinking of her in non-platonic ways, that he found himself wanting her to be more than just his best friend and companion. He was petrified that she wouldn't feel the same way, that she would think he was a dirty old man and then decide to leave. "It's the only answer I can tell you at this point in time," he replied honestly.

"But there are other reasons?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Is that all right?"

"Yes."

"Rose?"

"What, Doctor?"

"Care to give me an opportunity to kiss you back?" He held his breath nervously, expectantly.

She bit her lower lip between her teeth and worried the flesh for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. Finally she uncurled her arms from around her duvet-covered legs and took his hand in hers again. "Sure," she said. Then she grinned. "If it will satisfy your curiosity."

He smiled back. "Oh, I'm sure it will." _But it won't satisfy my desire for you; it will only make that worse._

Rose leaned towards him, mouth parted just a little bit, her eyes drifting shut. The Doctor reached out with his free hand and pushed the duvet down to her waist, wanting to feel her body against his when this happened. He left his hand against her rib cage, feeling the rapid beat of her heart.

She stopped when her lips were millimetres away from his, her breath caressing his skin and making his head spin. He could taste her in the air, and it was already driving him mad. Knowing that the final step was his to take, he drew in a breath and then closed the gap between them. "Rose," he whispered as his lips met hers.

Her lips were soft and pliant beneath his, and he took great delight in sucking them into his mouth one at a time, running his tongue over the tender flesh and tasting the remnants of her lip gloss. He realised that she was holding back somewhat, letting him take the lead and find out whatever he wanted to know about her mouth. He decided that it would be much more fun if she let herself go and melted into him, and so he pulled them both down on the bed and rolled himself on top of her, one leg sliding between hers as their chests pressed together.

She groaned and her mouth opened beneath his, her tongue coming out to brush alongside his between their mouths, tasting him as he tasted her. The Doctor had to keep a purposefully tight grip on his actions to stop himself from losing control. She had agreed to let him kiss her, not ravish her in her bed. But that didn't stop him from moving both of his hands to slide along the sides of her body, slipping under her pyjama top to stroke the soft skin beneath.

He ran his tongue over the roof of her mouth, over the ridges of her teeth and the delicate lines of her gums and cheeks before duelling with her tongue once more, a whole host of flavours bursting over his own tongue at the delight of finally tasting her properly. The glorious sensations were virtually synonymous with an out-of-body experience in his book, and he'd had more than a few of those over the years. Magic.

When they were both panting with the lack of air and something he would have named as desire if he wasn't intent on keeping this voyage of discovery as platonic as it was possible to be when you had your tongue in someone else's mouth, he pulled back, allowing himself one final tug at her lips with his before he drew his mouth away from her completely.

He rolled off her to lie beside her on the bed, taking her hand in his once more. He still felt the need to touch her somehow, make sure she was still with him. "Thank you," he said stupidly after a few moments of quiet.

"You're welcome," she said. There was a pause, and then, "You're good at that."

"What, at kissing?"

He sensed her smile beside him. "Yeah," she replied. "Considering you've only had this body for a few weeks, it certainly seems to know what it's doing."

"That's because it knows what it wants," he said without thinking.

"And what would that be?"

He didn't answer her, instead turning to look at her. She caught his eye, and he knew the second that understanding dawned on her from the almost imperceptible widening of her pupils. "Is it to do with the reasons you can't tell me at this point in time?" she asked, even though he knew she knew what he meant.

"Yes," he replied.

"At what point in time will you be able to tell me?"

He smiled, partly at her curiosity, partly at the thought that her questioning suggested that she might return his wants and desires in some form or capacity. "I don't know," he told her truthfully.

"Soon?" she asked.

"I hope so."

"Me too."

They lay quietly then, time ticking by but neither of them caring or knowing where it went. He decided that he would be more than content to lie here with her for all of eternity, her hand in his and the troubles of the universe locked safely away outside of the TARDIS walls. He felt… content, with her here like this. He hadn't felt content in a long time. He liked it. He liked it and he liked his new body. He liked her and he liked the fact that she seemed to like his new body and appreciate its talents. He wanted to show her what else it could do.

"Doctor?" she said after a time.

He hummed in the back of his throat in recognition.

"You changed me out of my clothes earlier." This was a statement, not a question.

"Mmm." He was suddenly nervous as to where she might be going with this. Was he going to get a full-blown Tyler slap, both renowned and feared across the universe?

She leaned up and looked down at him, a cheeky glint in her eye. "Was that to pay me back for changing you into Howard's pyjamas at Christmas?"

And then she laughed, and he laughed along with her. Oh yeah, he thought, he could definitely get used to having a closer relationship with her. He thought that he might like that very much indeed. Part of him thought that she might, too, and so he stayed with her in her bed for the rest of the night.

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**A/N:** Please review!! I'll give you chocolate money, which everyone knows tastes a whole lot better than regular money :) Jen xx


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